Man accused of writing bomb note surrenders

Sept. 7, 2011

Updated Aug. 21, 2013 1:17 p.m.

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Daniel Morgan. COURTESY OF CAMP PENDLETON

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Sophomore Coby Larinde, 15, directs his dad Mark into the parking lot as students are excused from school after authorities sweep San Clemente High in search of an 'incendiary deviceÃ on campus, Wednesday. KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Students seemed pumped up after they are excused from school. KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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After waiting outside campus, Kathryn Mitchell, welcomes her son Kevin, 15, as students are excused from school. KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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An Orange County Sheriff's bomb sniffing chocolate Labrador retriever and a deputy search the parking lot as authorities evacuate San Clemente High in search of an 'incendiary device' on campus Wednesday morning. KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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This photo submitted by Steve Balmuth of San Clemente shows students and faculty at San Clemente High School on the football field after being evacuated Wednesday morning. COURTESY OF STEVE BALMUTH

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A member of the Sheriff's SWAT team readies his weapon as he enters the scene. KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Sheriff's Special Weapons And Tactics, SWAT, team members fix their gear before entering the scene. KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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An Orange County Sheriff's bomb sniffing chocolate Labrador retriever and a Deputys search the parking lot for an 'incendiary deviceÃ on campus. KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

SAN CLEMENTE – San Clemente High’s first day of classes was interrupted Wednesday morning after authorities at Camp Pendleton found a note from a Navy corpsman claiming he had placed an “incendiary device” at the campus, authorities said.

By 2 p.m., the Navy corpsman, identified as Daniel Morgan, 22, had turned himself in to authorities at a hospital in Camp Pendleton, said Capt. Marc Stone with the Orange County Fire Authority.

A lockdown and evacuation of classrooms at the high school ended Wednesday afternoon with more than 3,000 students being sent home and a sweep of the campus turning up no bomb, the Sheriff’s Department reported.

“We just finished the bomb sweep; we did not find anything suspicious,” said Sheriff’s Lt. Paul D’Auria, chief of police services in San Clemente. “We have the suspect and his vehicle.”

Asked if the corpsman was found to be in possession of any bomb material, D’Auria said. “Not at this point.”

Military officials discovered the note during a search of their barracks after Morgan didn’t turn up for work on Wednesday following a four-day leave for the holiday weekend, said Eric Flanagan, a spokesman for the 1st Marine Expedition Force.

Camp Pendleton officials at 8:45 a.m. notified the Sheriff’s Department of the note, which indicated that a device had been placed at the campus.

The school went on a lockdown soon after, with students being taken to the football field, where they sat in scorching heat for more than an hour, and later to the gym.

A five and a half hour search of the campus turned up no explosives or devices, said Jim Amormino, a sheriff’s spokesman.

“There were several rumors going around, but no explosives,” Amormino said.

Military officials say there were no signs that Morgan had explosives with him. Authorities have not determined any links between Morgan and the high school or San Clemente.

“They think the only tie is the proximity to the military base,” Amormino said.

Morgan is being interviewed by military authorities, but no formal charges had been filed as of Wednesday afternoon, Flanagan said.

“I do want to credit the military for their quick action,” Amormino said. “Who knows that they could have prevented.”

The mood on the foot ball field during the lockdown, said Kevin Schulz, a 16-year-old junior, was “super relaxed.”

Schulz said he was in his second-period English class when, “They just, like, told everybody to bring their stuff out onto the field. They didn’t say what it was for.”

On the way out, Schulz said he could see sheriff’s patrol cars and a fire truck and immediately thought there was a bomb threat. He said he watched as police dogs ran up and down every bleacher in the stadium, apparently searching for a bomb.

During the lockdown, Hallie Rohr, a 17-year-old senior, said she wasn’t scared.

“I probably should be,” she said. “I don't know why I'm really not. I've been texting a few friends and texting my dad. He just said to keep him posted.”

Students had only sketchy information about what was going on. “I'm only hearing things from kids,” Rohr said. “There's a lot of, like, guys with guns and cops, but I don't know anything for sure.”

Senior Willie Porter, 17, said she was in her AP calculus class when the students were told through the intercom to leave their second-period classroom. After 10, 15 minutes, Porter said, school officials told students there had been a bomb threat.

“They didn’t tell us anything about the naval officer,” Porter said, adding that many of her classmates found out about the corpsman through their phones.

“All the teachers and administrators remained calm about the whole process,” Porter said.

As Porter and her classmates were escorted to the school gym, she said she could see the helicopters hover over the campus.

“This is the first day … senior day… we’ll never forget,” Porter added.

Children were allowed to start leaving the campus at about 1 p.m. District officials say the school schedule will return to normal on Thursday.

“We are glad that all of our students are safe and that nothing dangerous was found on campus,” said Marcus Walton, a spokesman for the Capistrano Unified School District.

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